The Return of the Dovahkiin Emperor
by Erik Valgaard
Summary: Its a story that takes place after the Oblivion Crisis in the Third Era, and continues over to the Fourth Era and beyond, come and see the return of the one they called Tiber Septim and how he will once again unite Tamriel and save it from the evil forces of Mehrunes Dagon and Molag Bal. Special thanks to The Fezatron for letting me use some of his ideas
1. Chapter 1 (Prologue)

**Prologue: _Unslaadsos _(unending blood)**

It was just the 2nd of Sun's Dawn over in the land of Skyrim just north of Cyrodill. It was the dusk of the Third Era, and Martin Septim had just sacrificed himself in an event that will forever be remembered as the Oblivion Crisis. With his brave sacrifice, becoming the avatar of Akatosh the Dragon God of Time himself, he valiantly fough off Mehrunes Dagon and saved not only Tamriel, but all Nirn. This ultimately brought also the destruction of the Amulet of Kings and the Last of the Septim Dynasty…. Or so we thought.

"Krosis. I have felt the blood of the Septim dovah touch the bones of Lorkhan. He is no more, but there will be a new Dovahkiin to once again light the Dovyol, Dragonfire…"

"Master, how can that be if Martin Septim was the last of his blood?" asked Aargon, chief among those called the Greybeards.

"Fear not." Declared Paarthunax, "My father Akatosh had vowed not to break his covenant that began with Alessia who he had bestowed upon the Amulet of Kings, blessed with his own Divine blood." He remained firm in the sight of his disciples' anguished demeanour.

Then, just as Paarthunax concluded his speech, a great warp had appeared before them, and out came 5 Elder Scrolls that seem to contain information and dates that are yet to arrive. Akatosh sent these Elder Scrolls that will foretell the arrival of the heir to his covenant, a Dovahkiin Emperor whose birth right is the Ruby Throne.

Humbled by what had just manifested within their midst, Brother Borelius asked their master, "If it is the will of the Divines, than it will be done, but what use do these Elder Scrolls have until the prophesy is fulfilled?"

"The qosdiit, prophesy will be fulfilled once a Dovahkiin will walk Tamriel again. But until then, krosis, we must protect these and await the return of the Joordov, mortal dragon."

The rest of the Greybeards spoke amongst themselves, and contemplated the words of wisdom their master had spoken. Aargon asked, "Master, what will be our mission with these scrolls?"

"Each of you will posses one of the five kel, elder scrolls, and with that you will keep it until your end of days, and pass it on to your successor who will do as you did in your time."

Paarthunax added, "But the power of the scrolls must never be abused, if it ever falls into the hands of the Daedric Lord Mehrunes Dagon and Molag Bal then the power will be wielded to ensure the complete destruction of the Septims and with it, the destruction of the Plane of Mundus itself."

"Yes master! May the will of the Nine be done" they all said together.

"But, until the time of the next Dovahkiin, we must continue to follow the way of the voice, and master the thu'um." Spoke Paarthunax to his disciples.

The seeds of the return of the proud line of the Man-god Talos has been sown. Only time will tell when, Akatosh has foreseen the future treachery of the Daedra whom he dreaded, he willed the return of the Dovahkiin Emperor after the next Dovahkiin walks Tamriel again and ushers in a new era. Until such time, the Greybeards stand vigilant to his return and the fulfilment of the prophesy.

Meanwhile in a realm beyond time itself….

In the immortal realm of the divines, Aetherius. Akatosh summoned all the nine to the Halls of Time to discuss the Prophesy of the Dovahkiin Emperor. Among those in attendance most importantly was the patriarch of the bloodline itself the one known to the Empire as Tiber Septim, but to most he is known as the apotheosized warrior-king Talos.

"Brother and sisters," spoke Akatosh addressing the other Divines, "We all know of the treachery of Mehrunes Dagon, and in order to stop him brought the end of the Septim dynasty."

Talos, most emotionally affected by the event, rose and declared to his colleagues, "Friends, I grieve a great many sorrows for the death of my descendants, but their sacrifice will not have been in vain. Great thanks to the intersection of Akatosh and the Elder Scrolls, a Dovahkiin Septim Emperor will once again unite the lost and wandering souls of Tamriel."

"And what pray tell do you plan to do Talos?" sceptically asked Arkay.

"With the blessing of the rest of you, I personally will descend from the immortal plane and incarnate myself to become mortal once again. In the form of the return of the septims that the Elder Scrolls have foretold, I myself will take on the challenge, although with my decadence, I will no longer be Talos Stormcrown or Tiber Septim, but a child with the immortal blood of a dragon."

Kynareth came forward, perplexed by Talos' plan to return to mortality, "Talos, why is this so important that you must become mortal?"

The discussion was getting very emotional and fueled as the divines continued to debate the plan of their fellow divine Talos, when suddenly a loud thump was heard across the hall. Akatosh was about to speak his piece.

And he said, "Brother and sister, I personally do not enjoy the idea of losing one of our own, but his sacrifice is the only way to stop the Daedric Princes from overpowering us, and plunging Nirn into a dark abyss, from where there is no turning back. To save the mortal plane, a Dragonborn Emperor must sit on the ruby throne and light the dragon fires that will seal the gates of Oblivion. Without the dragon fires, my power alone can only hold it for so long, but eventually I too will weaken and the Princes Mehrunes Dagon and Molag Bal will unleash untold horrors, and the covenant will be broken. However, if Talos where to return to Mundus in the era of the next Dragonborn, then we will be able to seal the gates and bay their power, perhaps forever with the sacrifice of a Divine."

Talos and the other Divines thought long and hard over what to say next, but all of them knew that they truly only had one choice.

"I will do it!" Said Talos with his divine Thu'um, "if it is the only way to save the people and all living things on Nirn, then I will give all I have in honourable sacrifice."

Arkay came forth and said to all, "When the era of the next dragonborn comes then I will incarnate you into the world, but you will no longer have any recollection of your divinity or your great life as Tiber Septim. You will be birthed to a man and a woman as any mortal would, but your distinction is that when the right time comes, Akatosh will speak to Paarthunax and the Greybeards will guide you to fulfil the prophesy."

"Talos, understand what you are about to do," Said Akatosh, "Once Arkay births you into Nirn, there will be no going back, and Talos will be no more and a new destiny will lay before you."

Though at that moment they were all divine, they started to show some rather, mortal emotions such as pain, anguish and sadness.

And so it was decided, when the new era dawns, Talos will descend to once again walk Tamriel as a man with a destiny written in the stars.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A successor's arrival

Aargon had just returned to High Hrothgar after his mission to negotiate peace with a rouge Orc Stronghold on behalf of the High King of Skyrim. It was a cold winter night, about 30 years have passed since an Elder Scroll had been entrusted to him and his fellow Greybeards by their master Paarthunax, and in turn received it from Akatosh himself. Aargon is now but an old man, well aware that his count of days are almost up. Keeping with his duty to remain vigilant protectors of the scrolls and vigilantly stand watchful for the return of the next Dovahkiin.

"Krosis, I have yet to pass on my Elder Scroll onto a successor. Sovengarde comes ever closer for me." Thought Aargon to himself, sitting around the fireplace in the courtyard

Elgard saw his elder Greybeard brother looking distraught and greatly depressed so he approaches him with the intent to assist him whatever way he could. Elgard, a Nord of 50 years was the youngest among the Greybeards, and the successor of Aargon's contemporary Borelius who had already passed on a few winters ago.

"Brother Aargon, is there anything I can do to ease your troubles?" asked Elgard

Aargon sighed and told him, "Unless you can find one willing to bear this burden and follow Jurgen Windcaller and The Way of The Voice."

Elgard retorted, "Actually, not to sound so smart-assed, I actually have a solution for that a young bard by the name of Bjord from Riverwood town is actually very well grounded, patient, and has a particular inclination to the Thu'um."

"Well then, bring him here to High Hrothgar as soon as possible, by the nine I will be relieved of my mortal burdens soon enough" exclaimed Aargon with a joy that resonated through the hallowed halls of the ancient fortress.

He continued to think to himself, "After over 70 years of my service, my journey is about to come to an end. I still remember my early days here, just a lad of 13 enthusiastic and bold." The old man chuckled a bit before retiring to his quarters.

The very next morning Elgard, Aargon and his brothers spoke off the Throat of the World onto the town of Riverwood in order to summon this protégé, the young Bjord.

It was a cold but sunny winter morning in the sleepy town of Riverwood. Guards went from door to door to warn the townfolk that the Greybeards were about to speak. Bjord and his family were down at the sawmill when a guard comes up to them.

"Citizens, I suggest you get indoors and to cover, the Greybeards are about to speak." Said the guard in his usual monotonous tone.

"Alright thank you sir." Said Belargor, Bjord's father, "Let's all get down to the cellar," bolted Belargor while staring at his son.

At exactly midday, a loud thunder rolled through the sky followed by the words: "Wundun wah Monahven Bjord" (Go to the Throat of the World Bjord) the Greybeards had just summoned the boy named Bjord to go to High Hrothgar. It was as if time stood still for the town of Riverwood, one of their own sons was being summoned.

"What?!" exasperated Bjord, "Why me? What do they want with me?"

"son, for whatever reasons the Greybeards have summoned you for, I am sure that it is the will of the Nine" reassured Belargor to his frightened son, "I will accompany you on your pilgrimage up the 7000 steps to High Hrothgar and along the way maybe you may be enlightened with what blessing it is you possess."

His mother and sister stayed behind at their home to await the return of Belargor, and his news of what fate had befallen their son Bjord.

On the evening of the following day in the dead of night, the father and son had completed their pilgrimage up the mountain and they had arrived at the doors of High Hrothgar

"What do we do now pa?" asked the young boy

"Well, I guess we just knock, right?" answered the father

*clank* *clank* *clank* went the ancient brass door knockers of the grand entryway, and out came a hooded figure saying to them, "Welcome to our humble abode weary travellers, we have been expecting you, please come in, the cold must be numbing your body by now"

"Drem yol lok, Greetings to you both, my name is Elgard. I have been watching you young Bjord, we know of your natural inborn inclination to master the Thu'um. We actually require your help. You see our leader, Brother Aargon is very old and his end may be near, we are tasked to each guard and Elder Scroll and await the next era of the Dovahkiin and thus the beginning of the prophesy."

"Does my son need to be under your care right away?" asked Belargor while worriedly holding on to his frightened son

"I'm afraid we must train your son in The Way of the Voice, and eventually succeed our leader Aargon." but Elgard added, "Though his destiny is with the Thu'um, we will allow you and your family to see Bjord every winter time"

"Pa, I am scared, but I have a feeling in my gut that whatever called them to summon me here, also guides me here. By the Divines, I will be brave." Said bravely by Bjord.

Belargor replied, "Well I'm not very religious, but I do believe in destiny and fate, if it is what you have to do then I won't stop you, just promise me you will keep to heart what we taught you growing up. And don't think you won't be seeing us, but we'll be dropping by every winter!" Then gave his son a hug and spoke some last words that they'll keep between themselves alone, and then he left back for his home of Riverwood.

Elgard then said to the boy, "You must be tired young one, I'll show you to your quarters and we can start tomorrow."

"Thank you for your hospitality and kindness," said Bjord "But may I ask something?"

"Sure what troubles you?" replied Elgard while walking the boy to his chambers in the east wing of High Hrothgar.

"I've just been thinking, if the Amulet of Kings is destroyed and there is no more Septim ruler, what keeps the evil Daedra from destroying the world?" inquired Bjord with a childlike innocence but with the wisdom of an elder

"My, you are an intelligent one are you, well, that is actually your mission as a Greybeard, to protect the scrolls that hold the prophesy that foretells the return of a Septim on the Ruby Throne. But come now, you have the rest of your days to learn the answer to your inquiry, but now it's time to rest. Goodnight young one."

"alright, goodnight" said Bjord as he dozed off into a deep sleep."

As morning came over the Jerall Mountains, Bjord made his way down to the dining hall to find all the Greybeards waiting for him. Most interested to see he of course was his future predecessor, Aargon.

"Greetings young one!" said Aargon looking intently at the boy, "It is nice to finally meet you, and with our guidance and training, you may one day replace me and become a guardian of the Elder Scroll."

"I sure hope to too!" Enthusiastically stated Bjord.

A long road ahead and many obstacles are what lay await for Bjord in his journey of self-discovery and duty. Aargon as well has much to look forward to, training the boy may be a challenge in his old age, but his wisdom is surpassed only by that of Paarthunax. Elgard also agreed to guide the boy as his guardian in his journey in the Way of the Voice.


End file.
